New York Times and Newspaper Guild Agree to Hire a Mediator

The New York Times and the Newspaper Guild of New York will use an outside mediator in order to try to reach an agreement on their ongoing contract dispute. The two parties were supposed to reach a final agreement tomorrow. Instead, they have agreed to start the mediation process.

Newspaper Guild President Bill O’Meara proposed that the two parties enlist the help of a mediator in hopes of maximizing the prospect of an agreement. Times management agreed.At the union’s suggestion, the mediator will be Martin Scheinman and the mediation process will begin tomorrow afternoon, Mr. O’Meara told the Observer this evening.